We already covered what saddles folks ride in, how about saddle pad recommendations? I need to find a good pad to use for my western saddle. What have you all found to the best pads for the horse, for any/all ‘style’ saddles?
does the Dixie Midnight pad do anything at all other than keep your real saddle pad cleaner?
has anyone directly compared the skito pads and the equipedic pads, and have a preference?
Pads…used skito pads successfully for years, with 3/4" inserts…
Tried Dixie Midnight pad, loved the fact it kept skito clean, loved it for a month…then on a long hard ride it scalded all the hair off my mare’s back at the loins…
Am trying supracor…love the idea and cleanability…doing okay on one mare, but looks like the same mare that had problem with
DM pad is getting a reaction to the supracor…
I may have to stick to just wook fleece with her…
Karen
That’s interesting about the Equipedic Pad. The name sounds so professional. I guess, in your book, it should be called Equipainic, Lol! I don’t want to hear that the sweat is drawn up into and held by the pad. To me, that’s the wrong direction…towards the saddle I want to protect. Sweat being released and sliding down the horse’s sides sounds alot better. I’m coming up against so many new materials and differences in construction, that it boggles my mind! To me, this conversation is worth it’s weight in gold. I’m leery of neoprene and if I see anything that is neoprene or plastic-like, I get very suspicious of it’s ventilation qualities. I have a neoprene girth that is rotting in my trunk. I found it to drastically pull hair, promote sweat and cause instant itchiness and discomfort. Same with the sport boots and my knee pads. Seems like the instant I put them on, the horse is trying to bite them all.
I dragged the synergist to the tack shop this weekend and found a pad that fit. It’s a large sized fleece barrel pad by Reinsman. I tried the fit of the “sticky” backed pad, but all of them come with that edging around the pad that was one inch smaller at the girth than the fleece one. It was that one inch that I needed that was lost with this pad. Also, I felt that that binding around the edge would dig in and cause discomfort under the girth, so, chose the fleece one. It was only $65, which will allow me to atleast get started with the saddle, but I’m still looking for a better one.
I was wondering if someone could tell me more about the Supracor Pad. What it’s construction is like, what is on the underside and if Synergist is the only one that sells them? Thanx!
I also use a Dixie Midnight pad under Toklat Woolbacks and Skito pads. The DM seems like a lot of money but it is a really good buy because it means al your other pads last and last. You will seldom have to wash the top pads as they stay clean. Washing machines are really wearing on pads.
Plus, the DM keeps my horsees back significantly cooler and drier.
Bonnie S.
Equipad for me. I tried the 100% sheep skin pad but it create to much heat on LDs. The next best thing is the Supercor.
O.K… my two cents worth…
Equipedic pads - worth their pricetag!!!
(I have one for each saddle type…
endurance/western/dressage.)
For the more cost-effective… a clean wool
navajo with a Toklat gel pad between the
layers… gives cush to the horses back, plus
the navajo absorbs sweat & is easy to throw
in the wash.
IMHO,
J
I have only ever used the short pile. The only problem I can think of regarding the long pile is that I wonder if it clumps up more when it gets sweaty? Just a guess.
I’m in the process of trying to find a pad for a Synergist saddle. I too am choking on the prices.Since I’m in Canada, $218 gets to well over $300 by the time it gets to me. I’ve researched everywhere to try and find a pad that will fit this saddle and haven’t had any luck, except at the Synergist site. I’ve been looking at the Supracor Endurance Cool Pad. I asked some questions, got a short answer, sent a couple of more questions and haven’t heard anything back…getting nervous. I need customer care under these circumstances. For those of you who have Supracor, could you please tell me what kind of material is on the top and bottom of these pads? Also, being 3/4" thick, will that change the fit of the saddle? I also wondered if someone could point me to the Skito pad site and to where the No-Sweat Vent pads are sold. Thankyou!!!
marta -
Cotton pads absorb sweat… and hold it (unfortunately). You’ll want something to wick away the sweat. If you know someone with sheep, or someone who has some wool to give away, grab it! You can make your own felted wool pad that is heads and tails softer and more comfortable than what you’ll find at the stores… plus it is the best for wicking away sweat and keeping the back dry.
If $$ are tight a small western wool pad will do the trick.
My pony is hunting in a Cloud Nine right now – I got it at a used tack shop (Middleburg Tack Exchange) for almost nothing, and LOVE it. He stays dry underneath and his back is confortably cushioned. However, I will still be using my felted wool pads for endurance riding … with the Cloud Nines waiting on the sideline in case I feel they are needed.
I have a Smith-Worthington Maxx trail saddle. I use a 3/8" thick Diamond Wool saddle pads with the cut out in the middle, or a thick wool navajo saddle blanket. I am a recreational trail rider, and my saddle is custom fitted to my mare, so I don’t need a very thick pad. My mares back stays cool with the wool pads or blankets, because they are very absorbent.
Nothing beats a thick wool felt pad - shock absorbtion, wicks away moisture, and draws heat away from the skin, keeping the area under the saddle cooler. Can’t beat 'em!
I’m seconding the recommendation for the Supracor pad.
I got one (used) about a year ago and both my horse & I love it. He seemed happier under saddle with it & I love the hose-it-and-it’s-clean maintenance.
I was able to save some $$ by finding one for sale second-hand that was in great condition, but after using this one I wouldn’t hesitate to pay full price for new if I need to replace it in the future.
Forgot to say…
tried the equipedic, greatly disliked it.
Made saddle slip for first time
wool felt on bottom attracts and holds on to hair.
INserts get soggy and stay that way…
you are supposed to remove inserts to maching wash-a pain. Pad good only for 100 washings, so how do you keep darn thing clean?
I tried pressure hosing both skito and equipedic pads same day (I always pressure horse my skito and sun dry).
Skito was dry next day, equipedic was soggy for three days…
I have yet to see claims it keeps horses back cooler proven by tests on HORSES.
Hello everyone, I am new to this site and have a question that maybe someone can help me with.
I recently got a new horse. He is high-withered and my saddle sits too low on his withers. I ride English and my saddle is a Steuben Siegfried. I cannot afford a new saddle right now, and thought someone would be able to suggest a pad that will help get the saddle to sit off his withers. I mostly trail ride these days, but am also back taking lessons in order to get more in-synch with my horse quicker.
Any help would be most appreciated.
Thank you,
Ruth
I use a reinsman contoured tacky too pad
works great even when horse is sweating
I have no problems with it I also use
a split showme pad and my horses like either
or.
We already covered what saddles folks ride in, how about saddle pad recommendations? I need to find a good pad to use for my western saddle. What have you all found to the best pads for the horse, for any/all ‘style’ saddles?
Regarding Supracor pads…
There are many sizes and shapes and many vendors that sell them.
The “cool grip” models have no cover…the actual pad is a ventillated honey-comb material that sort of squishes air in and out. the top and botton are some sort of synthetic, plastic type material. I have not had the pad slip on the horse, or the saddle slip on the pad. They are suppposed to be antibacterial and are very easy to use and keep clean. Like a lot of these products, they work for some horses and not for others.
I did find a very small patch of scabby skin on my mares back (one who had reaction to Dixie Midnight)…and I am wondering if this mare is sensitive to synthetic pads, as I had been switching between skito pad and supracor. After it is healed, I will only use the skito and see what happens.
The other two mares have no problem with the supracor…
My advice, look for one used first to try…or borrow one…I have seen quite a few on ebay recently
Ditto on the pure woolskin fleece pads. We also combine a gel pad since we have “sensitive” tbs.
I use a Toklat pad that is mostly wool but seems to have one side of it that is a little different. I’ve used it for many miles and so far so good. It was suggested to me by a veteran of about a zillion miles. Very happy with it!
